The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-14
AIKEN up by the blood before could get to

taken up by the blood before could get t.
| her."
; ''The drop or two taken up by the blood
, Heaven of mercy, is there no antidotef'
''There is one. but that may be impossible ,
"Speak, mani there must be no impossible
here"
There shall be no impossible, signor, il
Bardinelli's strength faint not" the italian
quietly said; 'for tarantism, in my land
there are the tarantella dances"
Il know-I remember" cried Darby. 'Ii
Is music, music she must have; and you
you Bardinelli-'
Il know the music-yes. When the poison
works in her brain and nerves she will move;
and II will play the death dance for her.
Come, Sig. Darby, let me carry her; can
best place her so that the faintest notes may
stir her numbed senses"
Half frantic with agony Darby made no
protest, but yielded her to the Italian. Was
not the priceless life at his mercy Had he
asked for the heart in his bosom he would
not have wished to say him nay. Fragile of
build though he was, Bardineln caught up
the lovely burden surrendered to him and
bore her, with the strength and speed of an
athlete, back to the glare and languorous
perfumes of the ball room.
'Her life is mine. her life is miner he
muttered, in his half delirious joy, as he felt
the pulsations OF his heart answering to the
wild throbbing of the poison-charged ay1.s.
ries of his breast.
Awe-s.ricken the wedding revelers
cleared the floor of the dance hall There
were rapid questionings and agitated re-
plies, there were groans here and there and
sobs half repressed. Then there was a
silence as of the sepulcher in the garish
house. Through this silence stole the first
weird notes of Bardinellfs Dance Of Death.
No one looked at the musician; every eye
was fastened on the bride. She lay upon
the wine-velvet of the divan, white and
rigid; about her trailed the satin and lace
and orange flowers of her bridal attire.
Bardinelli's violin was giving forth quick
| er strains. So fantastic were the chords,
now plaintive and imploring, now full of a
mad energy, anon dropping into fathomless
depths of pathos, it seemed as though tho
player were improvising the airs, telling to
the still figure upon the couch the tale of a
life noble in it's dreams and aspirations,
tragic in its failures. Yet through the Won
drous harmony dropped ever, clear and
pure as shower of pearls, the notes of the
rhythmic tarantella waltz.
The call to movement reached the locked
| SCuSCS VI IuC GOu0 uONcu, SIG
arose to her feet; she glided over the floor.
Her movements were as rhythmic as
were the strains of Bardinelli's violin;
they were those of the Graces. Her face
was the frozen one of the doomed Iphigenla
Upon the silence of the room the Italians
melody wrought like magic. The wedding
| guests swayed hither and thither in gro
tesque mimicry of the dream dancer upon
the polished floor The breeze of the night
waited the mystical strains out through the
| open easements, and bore them past Won
dering wayfarers upward to the empyrean
! to sweep the confines of other realms of
mystery.
Bardinelli was lending all the cunning Of
| his hand to rouse the suspended faculties of
his beloved pupil The heavy lids vailing
| her vision were slowly raised; surrounding
objects were once more photographed upon
the retina of the eye; the tinge of life was
returning to lip and cheek; her movements
had less Of grace and more of energy. 1t
were as though the shackles of flesh were
| being again riveted upon the free move
ment of the spirit. The statue had walked
to life, though another than Pygmalion
should reap the kisses of those divinely
| parted lips
Louder and louder swelled the waltz melo-
dies of the forgotten music. One who
casually glanced toward him saw that he
was contorted, and that the veins in his
forehead were purple cords, tensely drawn.
So might have looked the LAGOON wrestling
in the folds of the sea- monster.
Not the less surely, however, was the mas
ter hand informed of the genius of death
less WILL and the observer, unknowing,
turned again to mark the effects of his
yuhO 1iL-a Eurvr5ioa
being lured back from the world of mystery
and shadowed by his Orphic enchantments.
Suddenly she stood still The throng of
spectators gazed at her. Their united
breath would not have stirred the down OF
thistle puff. Her white bosom rose and
fell. The orange-blossoms looping her
cor5age trembled like sentlent creatures
filled with a passion of joy in her living
warmth and loveliness. Her eyes roved
anXiously over the eXpectant aSsemblage.
She was looking for some one. For whom?
She smiled dazzling smile of recognition,
and joyously stretched forth her arms. Her
bridegroom hurried to meet and take her
into his embrace.
For the first time there was discord in
the music. No one noticed it. There was
a break, a pause, then a crash of chords,
then silence.
at was YOU who drew me back among
the living, Phil" murmured the bride, at
rest on the heart of her husband. ''Not the
bands of death could hold me from you yet,
dear. 1t was the yearning of my spirit that
spoke to you through the music of Bardi-
neli's violin"
Then, 0 my belovedl' he answered in
the abnegation of humble gratitude, sit
is to Bardinelli l owe the debt l may never
hope to repay"
ITO Bardinelli!'
She turned in her gracious beauty and
moved toward the place of the musician.
He did not rise to meet her. He was cit
ting bending forward, and his face was
averted as from sigh distressing to him.
His violin had slipped from his grasp and
was resting against his knee, two of its
strings broken and snarled. She laid upon
his shoulder the hand from which he had
extracted the venom of the tarantula.
s.Bardinellir'
Her voice had never before appealed to
him in vain. Now he gave it no heed. Sko
bent over him, her brldalvail blending with
the long hair floating over his shoulders.
Her gentle clasp closed upon the fingers
ate cry broke from her lips and she turned
to her husband:
''He is dead! He has given his life for
mine, Phil"-Southeyn Bivoudc.
Saved by Horse.
A gentleman in Massachusetts, once
told mo tha followinU story. and the